


And The Pieces Fall Right Into Place

by Carlet



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Angst, Mother-Daughter Relationship, mama may
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2019-03-08 21:03:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13466499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carlet/pseuds/Carlet
Summary: "My mother...she always kept me safe."But at what cost to May's own life?





	And The Pieces Fall Right Into Place

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by "So it Goes" by Taylor Swift

Robin crouched behind a crate, one hand curled around the rough wood of her robin, the other balled into a fist against the ground. Several feet in front of her, Mom grunted, kicked, and punched as she fought three massive Kree at once. Another lay bleeding and unmoving at her feet.

She blinked, and the scene before her changed.

_May took one step forward and roared with pain, looking down to find the pipe through her leg._

“Mom.” Robin whimpered. She opened her eyes and saw Deke pulling out a knife, May biting down hard on the gag in her mouth with anger. “It’s okay, he’s just trying to help. Even though he's annoying.”

A thump caused everything to flicker again, and Robin looked up to see two of the Kree hit the ground, Mom having somehow used her signature kick on both at once. While one stayed down, the other shot back up, advancing on May, his club aimed at her head.

Robin knew she was supposed to stay back and stay quiet, and she always listened to her mom. But she knew how this scene was supposed to go, or at least she’d seen the end of it, and how could she just sit back?

“MOM!”

Robin’s cry caused the Kree guard to stop and turn around. Upon spotting her, he immediately started towards her, club raised. Panic rose in Robin’s throat, and she started to scramble backwards. She’d known this wasn’t how it ended for her, of course, yet that didn’t stop her from reacting instinctively, her arms raised up to protect her face. But before the Kree reached her, May struck his back with a plank of wood she’d broken off a crate, causing him to fall, and she stomped at his head for good measure.

“Robin.” Mom’s teeth were clenched, her expression still and serious. “You need to get ba-“

She never for a chance to finish her sentence. With a roar, one of the Kree reached up with his knife and thrust it straight through May before withdrawing it rapidly, falling back again, succumbing to his wounds.

Mom froze as she slowly looked down, seeming almost mildly surprised at the hole in her stomach. She looked up at Robin, who stared back at her with wide eyes.

She’d seen this moment in dream after dream for months. She’d woken up screaming and screaming until her throat felt numb and her voice hoarse.

They’d been after her, that much she knew. The Kree had first tolerated, and eventually come to see her or more specifically her visions and incessant ramblings as a threat to their rule. Mom had always protected her, helping her stay under the radar as best as she could, or always providing her with paper so she could express herself through her drawings instead. But they’d had enough, and they’d come for her, to put a stop to her.

And then May fell, her legs crumbling beneath her as she crumpled to the ground. Robin crawled over to her, tears already blurring her vision.

 _“My mother..she always kept me safe.”_ That was what she knew she’d end up saying to Daisy eventually. Mom had always believed in protecting her family first—Robin had seen that with Fitz and Simmons, Yo Yo, and of course Robin herself.

But at what cost to May’s own life?

Robin gripped her mother’s shoulders and lifted her head onto her lap. “Mom…” She knew how this ended. In the same way she’d eventually die in her mother’s arms, May was destined to bleed out in Robin’s. But that didn’t stop Robin from trying to stop the bleeding. She ripped off her jacket and pressed it over Mom’s wound frantically.

“…Robin…” Mom reached up with a shaky hand and cupped Robin’s face. “It’s okay.”

“I’m so sorry! This was my fault. You were just trying to protect me.”

“No.” May coughed, and Robin was alarmed to see a small amount of blood come out as she did so. “Listen to me. You need to go. T-they’ll be after you.”

“I can’t!” Robin cried. “I can’t just leave you here.”

“Hey.” Mom smiled. Once, Simmons had told her that seeing May smile was about as rare as encountering a Kree who was actually nice, that they’d literally thought her mother had no emotions. But Robin had never known her mother to be that way. She was tough and firm, sure, but she’d always been gentle and caring around Robin. “Remember what we said. Y-you need to survive so you can tell me…other me, I mean, how to get back. Remember?”

“B-but…” Robin sputtered.

“You can do this. Besides…we’ll…” Mom’s voice grew faint, and her eyes closed for a moment. “…see each other again.”

“But you won’t know who I am!”

May’s eyes didn’t open again as she spoke, her voice growing quieter with each word. Robin could see the pallor of May’s skin, and how her lips were rapidly growing more and more pale. “…doesn’t matter.”

In response, Robin hugged her mother closer, knowing full well they were near the end. “I love you.”

Mom took a deep, shuddery breath. “I love you too, Robin.” Her head fell to the side.

Robin watched as her mother’s chest ceased to move no longer, as her fingers grew slack and her arm fell back down to her side. She stood up slowly, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. She took a deep breath in the same way Mom had always taught her, and rubbed the robin in her hand. It helped clear her mind, a little.

Her mother had always kept her safe, had always protected her so she could do what she was almost meant to do. _Save the world._

Robin looked back at Mom’s still, almost peaceful form before exiting the room. _I won’t let you down. I promise._


End file.
